This invention relates to a device that delivers or dispenses rivets into a rivet feed passageway for the purpose of conveying the rivets to a riveting machine. Many present day riveting machines are now automated to the point where it is important to have the capability to regularly feed rivets to the machine at a consistently rapid rate. In association with this, it is important to have the capability to rapidly feed rivets in situations where the size of the rivets must be constantly changed in accordance with the thickness of the members to be fastened together by the riveting machine.
The prior art contains many different devices for feeding rivets to a riveting machine. Many or most of these devices are quite satisfactory for their intended purpose. However, none provide the rivet feed rate, reliability, or versatility which is provided by the present invention. Of special pertinence is U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,153 issued to Trethewy on June 17, 1980. This feed device includes a plurality of feed members that deliver rivets into a rivet feed passageway. The device does not, however, have a separate air feed port for blasting a rivet through the feed passageway at the point where the rivet is delivered into the passageway.
Other U.S. patents known to be pertinent to the present invention are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,832 issued to Flangeri et al on Apr. 24, 1962; U.S. Pat. No. 3,275,191 issued to MacDonald on Sept. 27, 1966; U.S. Pat. No. 3,334,785 issued to Grabowski et al on Aug. 8, 1967; U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,799 issued to Spisak on Sept. 5, 1967; U.S. Pat. No. 3,554,403 issued to Ginther on Jan. 12, 1971; U.S. Pat. No. 3,883,040 issued to Bell on May 13, 1975; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,216 issued to Poole on Nov. 23, 1976.